Mail-box.



No. 882,789. PATENTED MAR. 24,' 1908.

W.'W. lPALMER.-

`MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1806.

WILLIS W. PALMER, OF JERICHO, VERMONT.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.I

Application filed J une 9, 1906.

Patented March 24, 1908.

Serial No. 321,035.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIS W. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jericho, in the county of Chittenden and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes Especially Designed for Rural Collections, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in mail boxes, pertaining more particularly to those in rural free de ivery districts.

The object of my invention is to rovide a mail box of the character descri ed, in which the mail or money which is often placed in the box, may be readily removed from the box without removing it by hand through the upper end.

Another object of my invention is to provide a box of this character, which is so constructed to work in conjunction with a receptacle, whereby the contents are readily em tied from the mail box to the receptacle, ang thus with certainty the contents of the mail box is deposited in the receptacle, and from there emptied into the mail bag.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a more simple, cheap and effective mail box, and means for removing the contents therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l, is a perspective view of my mail box and receptacle separated. Fig. 2, is a transverse vertical sectional view of my device showing the receptacle in position, and showing in dotted lines the position it assumes when removing the mail. -Fig. 3, is a perspective view of the swinging bottom.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents a post or other support to which the box 2 is secured in any well known manner, and said box 2 is, as shown, of a rectangular form having a cover 3 hinged at the upper edge adjacent the post, as indicated at 4. Pivotally carried by one end ofthe box is an arm 5 which swings parallel with the end of the box, and adjacent thereto. The outer end of said arm carries a plate 6 which is painted white or other color for the pur ose hereinafter more fully described. T e cover 3, adjacent its forward end, is provided with an outwardly extending lug 7 which is adapted to engage the arm 5 of the signal, and throw the same upwardly past a vertical position,

and a stop 8 carried by the side of the box hinge members passes through the slots and around the pin. The bottom 10 of the box is hinged to the box as at 10. The bottom 1() is of a box-like forni having end walls 11 and 12, and a rear wall 13swhich extends within the box, and thus form a tight connection with the box. The front portion of the bottom is open at 13', and extending from a point adjacent thereto to the rear wall, are the inclined fins 14 upon which the mail rests, and tend to direct the letters forwards towards the open front end of the bottom.

The ends of the box adjacent the front side are provided with oppositely arranged segmental slots 15, and the bottom 13 is provided with studs 17 and 18 which extend outward through the segmental slots and are provided with the operating knobs 19 and 20. The bottom is held in its normal upward position by springs, as will be hereinafter fully described, and the studs 17 and 18 are normally held within the upper end of the slots when the bottom is closed. By pressing down upon the knobs 19 and 20 it will be seen that the bottom is swung downwardly.

In, order to normally hold the bottom in its upward position within the box, I provide springs, as heretofore stated. These springs 21 are leaf-springs riveted to the rear side ofthe box, and extending down over the rear wall 13 of the bottom on the inside, and thus bearing against the same and holding the bottom in its u ward position. When the bottom is forced downward, as heretofore explained, and the rear wall 13 of the bottom is drawn outward against the springs, and when the bottom is released, the springs throw the same upwardly in its normal closed position.

The receptacle 22 for working in conjunction with the mail box, consists of a rectangular scoop-shaped member having the closed upper end 23, and the end wall having the oblique portion 24 and 25. The said oblique portions are provided with notches 26 which incline slightly downwardly. The rear wall of the receptacle is provided with a handle 27 by means oi which it is readily handled.

In operation, the receptacle is placed in a position wherein it receives the front lower corner of the mail box with the slots extending over the studs 17 and 18, and when in this position it will be seen that the bottom ofthe receptacle is below the outer end of the bottom of the box, and by taking hold ol the ends of the receptacle and pressing down upon the knobs, the bottom, together with the receptacle is forced downward and the contents of the box discharged into the receptacle, and it can be readily transferred to the ordinary mail bag. By this construction and operation, it will be seen that the contents of the box is readily discharged without the necessity of removing the mail by hand. In rural free delivery districts the mail is' often placed in the box without postage, and the money also placed in the box, and in such cases, in cold weather it is very inconvenient to remove the contents of the box by hand through the top. By this structure, it will be seen that the contents are readily removed without the liability oi dropping the same, as it is not handled at all by hand.

The front wall of the box is provided with a shield 28 which extends downwardly, and engages the upper face of the bottom, and thus serves as an additional means forpreventing the mail or money from sliding out of the bottom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a mail box having a hinged bottom, studs carried by the bottom, and a receptacle adapted to engage said studs and to work in conjunction therewith for opening the bottom and receiving the mail Jfrom the box.

2. The combination with a mail box having a hinged bottom, studs carried by the bottom, and a receptacle having notches to receive the studs whereby the bottom is opened for discharging the contents of the box into the receptacle.

3. The combination with a mail box having a hinged bottom, studs carried by the bottom and extending through slots in the box, and a receptacle having notches to receive said studs whereby the bottom is moved downwardly with the receptacle for discharging the contents of the box therein.

4. The combination with a mail box having a hinged normally spring-closed bottom, studs carried thereby, and a receptacle having notches to receive the studs, whereby the bottom is opened for discharging the contents of the box into the receptacle.

5. The combination with a mail box having a hinged normally spring-closed bottom, inclined iins or ribs carried by the bottom for guiding the mail towards the forward end of the box, studs carried by the bottom and projecting through segmental slots in the box, and a receptacle having notches' to receive the studs, whereby the bottom and receptacle are moved downwardly together for discharging the contents of the box into the receptacle.

6. The combination with a mail box having a hinged box-like bottom, springs riveted to the box and bearing against the rear vertical wall of the bottom, and normally holding the bottom in its upward closed position, studs carried by the bottom, and a receptacle adapted to fit over the lower end of the box and having notches to receive the studs, whereby the bottom and receptacle are moved downwardly together for discharging the contents of the box into the receptacle.

7. A mail box comprising a box, a hinged cover therefor, a box like bottom hinged at the rear side and adapted to pass within the box, springs riveted to the box and bearing against the rear vertical wall of the bottom and normally holding the bottom in an upward position.

8. The combination with a mail box having a hinged box like bottom, springs riveted to the box and bearing against the rear ver- -tical wall of the bottom and normally holding the bottom in its upward closed position, studs carried by the bottom and extending through the segmental slots in the box, knobs carried by the studs on the outside of the box, and a receptacle ada ted to 'fit over the lower end of the box and iaving notches to receive the studs, whereby the bottom and receptacle are moved downward together for discharging the contents oi' the box into the receptacle.

9,. The combination with a mail box, a hinged bottom normally held in its upper closed position, studs carried by the bottom and projecting through segmental slots in the box, knobs carried by the' studs on the outside of the box, anda receptacle having notches to receive the studs, whereby the bottom and receptacle are moved downward together for discharging the contents of the box into the receptacle.

10. A mail box, comprising a box, a hinged and projecting through segmental slots in cover therefor, a box-like bottom hinged at for discharging the contents of the box into the rear side and adapted to pass Within the i the receptacle. l0 box, means for holding the bottom in its In testimony whereof I do affix my signa upward position, studs carried by the bottom ture in presence of two witnesses.

I /VILLIS /V. PALMER. the box, and a receptacle having notches to i Witnesses: receive the studs, whereby the bottom and CORNELIUS S. PALMER, receptacle are moved downwardly together ALFRED E. KING. 

